Former Bomet Governor Isaac Rutto is forming a formidable force in The Deputy President William Ruto’s bedroom ahead of 2022 presidential race.
Isaac Rutto, working with a team opposed to DP Ruto’s candidacy, is strategizing to form a second force that will offer alternative leadership to the Kalenjin community.
On Tuesday, Rutto, Chama Cha Mashinani (CCM) Leader hosted two high-level meetings at his Bomet county home, confirmed that ‘like-minded leaders’ have been meeting to chart the best way forward to address issues afflicting the Kalenjin community.
“CCM is in talks with Kanu and other leaders from Rift Valley. We are not yet on matters to do with 2022 but what is of concern now is development in this region,” Rutto told a local daily.
On Monday Rutto hosted Kanu chairman and Baringo Senator Gideon Moi.
He said Rift Valley residents should not be dictated to about which party they should support and which candidate to elect.
“We should let democracy prevail and people should not be bulldozed into parties against their wishes. Rift Valley is not a one-party region. Demonisation of other parties should stop as all of us have a right,” he said.
In the 2017 General Election, the DP led the Kalenjin community to vote for the Jubilee Party and its candidates almost to a man.
Ruto who is keen to succeed President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2022 has ring-fenced Rift Valley and other areas, giving him a head start in his State House bid.
Gideon, the son of former President Daniel Moi, is in ODM leader Raila Odinga’s succession matrix. He has been reenergised and is pulling out all the stops to break Ruto’s grip on the vote-rich region.
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Kanu and CCM have signed a post-election agreement with the ruling Jubilee Party.
The CCM leaders want to use the deal with Jubilee to address the plight of the Kalenjin Community stating with the issue of Mau. This is one of the strategies they plan to use to seduce the community to back them in 2022.
On the other hand, Gideon Moi has resolved to grass root meetings at the same time spreading the BBI gospel in the region.
All these are efforts put together to win the Kalenjin vote and water down Ruto’s influence in the region.
